Massive crew changes this far in to the VOR is not the key to a successful professional round the world race campaign. However, for the all girls boat, Amer Sports Too, which has nothing to loose at this stage, having finished at the wrong end of the fleet on all three legs, they are taking desperate steps in an effort to improve their performance.

Yachting World readers would have already seen the news of British sailor Matt Humphries resigning from Team SEB but the girls win the prize for the most changes.

New Zealander Sharon Ferris is leaving to pursue a different sailing project and Genevieve White, the Australian is moving aside to make room for a replacement navigator.

Carolijn Brouwer who sailed the race from Cape Town to Sydney will replace Melissa Purdy from the USA.

Final crew line-ups for the next leg do not have to be declared until 48 hours before the restart and there is no doubt that there will be some fresh faces amongst the crews as they cross the start line out on the Hauraki Gulf later this month.